


Take Flight

by Esselle



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Wings, Based off Craziiwolf's Winged AU!, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Soul Bond, Soulmates, Wingfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-27
Updated: 2018-06-27
Packaged: 2019-05-29 12:24:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15073091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Esselle/pseuds/Esselle
Summary: 'They'resupposedto be soulmates. No—theyaresoulmates. Hinata is his. And Kageyama is Hinata's.And so—why? Why won't Hinata open up to him about something as important as his wings, their link, the symbol of their bond? Why do they keep having thisfight?'--No matter what they fight over, they will always come back together again.





	Take Flight

**Author's Note:**

  * For [craziiwolf](https://archiveofourown.org/users/craziiwolf/gifts).



> My half of an art/fic exchange with Cass/[craziiwolf](https://twitter.com/craziiwolf) :D I had so much fun writing this little fic for her Winged AU! She asked for light hurt/comfort... it's possible I went heavy on the "comfort"........ I hope you still like it Cassie XD <3
> 
> I based a lot of this fic/idea off of [this comic](https://craziiwolf.tumblr.com/post/149191723981/when-at-peace-they-glow-when-at-war-they-burn)! Also, you guys can check out lots more of her comics and art and lore for the AU on her [Winged AU tag](https://craziiwolf.tumblr.com/tagged/khwingedau)!

_Stupid,_ Kageyama thinks. _Hinata is so stupid._

Below him, the jungle spreads out on all sides—lush and dense, the life veins in the leaves and blossoms and tree branches lit up like shimmering blue flames in the always night of the forest. Kageyama perches above it all—on a branch just below the canopy, legs dangling as he leans against the thick trunk of the tree and fumes, barely seeing the beauty of the forest through his irritation.

They're _supposed_ to be soulmates. No—they _are_ soulmates, him and Hinata; Kageyama has never once doubted it because he knows it, feels it without question in that unshakable part of him buried even farther down in his consciousness and his sense of being than his heart. He understands it in his soul, every time he sets eyes on Hinata, every time he feels the familiar warmth, that glow of orange when Hinata is close.

Hinata is his. And he is Hinata's.

And so—why? Why won't Hinata open up to him about something as important as his wings, their link, the symbol of their bond? Why do they keep having this _fight?_

Kageyama is a fighter, by nature. He is strong, and he is fast, and his wings beat hard and carry him high and far and free. He doesn't give in easily.

And he and Hinata get into arguments and petty squabbles all the time, pretty much every day; they're always getting on each other's case about something or other, and that's normal, that's fine. Kageyama is blunt and loud, and Hinata is brash and excitable, and it's obvious they're meant for each other exactly because they never stop pushing one another forward. Even after—after the accident, with Hinata's wings, they never stop helping each other soar.

But it's different, when they really get mad.

Kageyama shuts his eyes and buries his hands in his hair, as all the words, all the yelling, plays inside his head again.

_"Stop hiding the truth from me!" he said, voice cracking sharply through the trees._

_"I already told you what happened—"_

_"Hinata, stop it!" Kageyama took a step toward him, unsure of what he wanted to do. Hug Hinata? Punch him? Push him away?_

_He could feel the telltale searing, starting at the tips of his wings, before smoldering downward, burning through his bone and muscle. He grit his teeth—the angrier he got, the more it hurt, but they weren't done talking about it. He wanted answers, answers Hinata wouldn't—or couldn't—give him._

_"There's nothing more for me to tell you!" Hinata cried out. "We've been over this, we've been over it so many times—"_

_"Because you never answer me," Kageyama said. "How did your wings get torn?!"_

_"Why do you always think I want to lie to you?!" Hinata said furiously._

_"Because I can feel it!" Kageyama said. "I can feel it, and I don't understand why!"_

_"Kageyama—"_

_"Why don't you love me enough to tell me?!" Kageyama screamed at him._

_Hinata stumbled backwards as though Kageyama really had hit him, and Kageyama's wings, his whole back, flared into agonizing pain. Hinata cried out, falling to his knees, and Kageyama could see the shreds of wings on his back, ripped and smoking as they caught alight and burned._

_"N-no—" Kageyama choked._

_"Get away…" Hinata gasped._

_"Hinata, please—"_

_"Tobio—not—now—" Hinata said. "Go—_ GO!"

_And he was right. Kageyama's confusion and accusations and rage would only hurt Hinata in that moment. And as much pain as he was in, Hinata's would be much, much worse, because his broken wings couldn't shield him from it. And until Kageyama calmed down, neither could he. The thought hurt more than the pain in his wings._

_"I'm—I'm sorry," Kageyama whispered, and then he turned, and ran._

Remembering it now, he slams his fist against the trunk of the tree he's sitting on. Hinata isn't the stupid one. Kageyama is the idiot, the complete bastard.

How could he ever accuse Hinata of not loving him?

A low rumble of thunder catches his attention, and he finally opens his eyes, blinking upwards at the sky. It will start raining soon. The pain in his wings is almost completely gone, now. But still, he doesn't know what to do. He doesn't know where to go. He's afraid Hinata will tell him to leave again. And he knows it would be what he deserves.

And then, he hears it. From the ground, far below, a voice floating up to him even high in the branches.

"Oyyyyy! Stupid Kageyamaaaa! How long are you gonna hide from me?!"

Kageyama twists around, shocked, to peer down at the ground. At the base of the tree, a little orange blot among the dark landscape has appeared, and is now berating Kageyama at the top of his lungs.

"I'm—I'm not _hiding!"_ he shouts back.

"Don't make excuses!" Hinata's voice drifts up to him. "You can't escape now, so wait there!"

"Wait, Hinata!" Kageyama shouts. "I'm coming down."

"I don't need you to come down for me!" Hinata yells up to him.

The hint of thunder that has been steadily rolling through the clouds chooses that moment to make itself known—with a booming crash, the skies open up, and the rain begins to fall. Hinata, at the base of the tree, jumps up to catch the bottom branch.

Kageyama had flown to the top of the branches. The tree is a tall one, and Hinata is very small—and even though Kageyama knows he can make it, because Hinata has done it tons of times before, it will take forever. And with the rain and the wind picking up around them, it's not exactly safe, either.

"Hinata, it's dangerous!"

But over the thunder and the rain, there's no way Hinata will hear him. Kageyama swears and starts to lower himself, so they can at least meet in the middle. Hinata is climbing faster than he expected, maybe too fast, but if Kageyama climbs down then he'll reach him soon enough.

A bright, startling flash of lightning lances across the sky, and the loudest thunderclap yet sounds, like a sharp crack through the air. Kageyama startles, jumping out of his skin. So does Hinata.

He loses his footing on the branch he's standing on. For one horrible second, his hand flails, trying to grab onto something—but the bark is too slippery, and Kageyama watches, like the world around him is slowing, as Hinata slips and falls.

Kageyama doesn't think. He just flies.

Wings tucked against his back, he rockets downward at breakneck speed, wind and water whipping his face. Hinata's eyes are wide as he tumbles backward, and at this height, the fall might not kill him but it will definitely hurt him, badly. Kageyama stretches out his hand, and instead of rejecting him, or trying to push him away again, Hinata reaches up and—

 _Smack._ Their palms connect, and Hinata's fall is halted as Kageyama grabs hold of him, wings spread out and straining above them, keeping them aloft.

"Dumbass!" he shouts. He's angry.

But this time their wings don't burn.

Slowly, carefully, Kageyama lowers them both back to the ground.

"W-wow," Hinata says, when their feet touch the ground, "that thunder really scared—"

"Don't—" Kageyama yanks Hinata against him, cradling him close to his chest. He shifts his arms, careful as always of the tattered remnants of Hinata's wings, to wrap them around Hinata's small form, sifting one hand through his bright hair to hold Hinata's head against his rapidly thudding heart.

He needs Hinata to hear it, and know it's beating for him.

"Don't _do that_ to me," Kageyama begs him, voice a hoarse whisper. The image of Hinata falling flashes before his eyes again, far more frightening than the noise of any storm. "Don't do reckless things like that."

Hinata trembles, and then he reaches up, hands clasping at the back of Kageyama's shirt, in the middle of his shoulder blades, fingers curled in between his wings. He rubs his face against Kageyama's shirt and presses his ear to his chest, listening.

"I'm sorry," he says.

"Come on," Kageyama tells him. The canopy is thinner here and the rain falls hard and fast. He takes Hinata's hand and unfurls his wings, making sure to drape one over Hinata's head to keep him dry.

They pick their way through the undergrowth of the forest, along fallen branches grown mossy with time, the luminescent blue-green fungus lighting their path until they come to one of the places they know well, a small enclosed grove of trees with branches and leaves packed so tightly together that the water rolls off and around them, keeping the clearing underneath mostly dry.

"I'm sorry," Hinata says again.

"It's okay," Kageyama says, swallowing hard. He knows Hinata can't be the only one to keep saying that. Kageyama's never been good with words, but he knows that much.

"I'm sorry I scared you, that I hurt you—" Hinata keeps talking, rambling now that he's gotten started. His eyes are too bright, the lights from the flowers reflecting off the tears pooling there again as he squeezes Kageyama's hand in his own. "I'm sorry I made you feel like I don't lo—"

Kageyama grabs him again and tumbles them both down into the cool, soft grass. Hinata clings to him, finally quiet.

"Forget that," Kageyama tells him. "I was just—angry. And scared. And I'm sorry, too."

"Do you promise you don't think that?" Hinata asks.

"I promise."

"Because I love you more than anything, or anyone. I love you the most."

"I think you worry about me too much," Kageyama grumbles, stroking Hinata's hair. He tucks a stray, messy strand behind Hinata's ear, trails his fingers down to Hinata's earlobe to thumb the small hoop there with gentle fondness. "But I guess that… kind of means the opposite of not loving me."

Hinata hums in agreement. "I worry about you like you worry about me."

"Okay," Kageyama says. He's willing to admit defeat. Just this once.

He feels Hinata shivering and shifts so he can pull his shirt off. The specially woven fabric shifts and splits to accommodate his wings, fibers unraveling as the feathers snag against them so he can slip the shirt over his head, before knitting back together again once it's removed. Hinata snuggles up to him, head cushioned on the downy patch of feathers on Kageyama's shoulder. His shivers subside as he absorbs Kageyama's body heat, and Kageyama folds his wings around them both and tucks Hinata's head under his chin. Enclosed in the space of his wingspan, the damp chill of the rainy jungle is kept at bay. Hinata rubs his cheek against the feather patch, and Kageyama squirms—it still tickles, even though he's gotten used to Hinata doing this.

Around them, the faint blue glow of his wings throws little dancing lights and contrasting shadows across Hinata's face. Kageyama strokes a hand over his back slowly, fingers just barely brushing Hinata's broken wings. A faint orange glimmer ghosts across Kageyama's fingertips, but it gets brighter, and brighter, mellowing into a golden-white glow. He breathes a small sigh of relief. No matter how mad at him Hinata was earlier, at least he can still heal now.

"This is what I'm supposed to be doing," Kageyama murmurs. "Helping you heal your wings… not hurting them even more."

Hinata rubs his face against Kageyama's shoulder. His nose twitches up, and he sneezes, as the feathers brush against his nose.

"You've always helped me," Hinata tells him. He sounds sleepy. "Even when you're mad at me… you want to help me, don't you?"

"I just…" Kageyama swallows. "I just want you to be safe. I don't know if I can always be there to save you."

"I believe you will be," Hinata says. "And… and I'll always be there for you, too."

"Hinata…" Kageyama murmurs. He slides a hand against Hinata's cheek before dipping his fingers under his chin, tilting his face up. Hinata blinks at him, eyes lidded and soft, a sigh drifting from his mouth as Kageyama presses their lips together.

Even with his eyes closed, he can see it—the brightness and the warmth from Hinata's wings as they flare beautifully to life. Not burning this time. Mending. Becoming whole.

Like the two of them, together.

"You love me," Kageyama says against Hinata's lips, with no trace of a doubt.

Hinata brushes his fingers across Kageyama's wings, sifting all along the underside of the deep black feathers, before touching his fingers to Kageyama's mouth like he can catch the words that Kageyama speaks, just like Kageyama will always, always catch him, until his wings have grown huge and strong once more.

"And you love me," Hinata echoes.

Kageyama wants to fly with Hinata again, more than anything. But right now, these words always remind him of what it feels like to be absolutely weightless together—to spread their wings and take flight.  

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> [I'm [@esselley](http://esselley.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr, [@Esselle_hq](https://twitter.com/Esselle_hq) on Twitter]


End file.
